Annette Addo-Yobo, a first-year law student at Texas Tech University School of Law, has turned personal challenges into motivation for her academic and professional journey. While she maintains a schedule similar to other students, her path to law school has been marked by unique experiences.
Born in Ghana, Annette’s family moved several times before settling in Texas. Early on, she became a caretaker for her brother Andrew, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and is nonverbal. Later, her responsibilities increased when her mother developed Lewy Body Dementia, eventually passing away in 2021 after years of illness that initially puzzled doctors.
“Prior to her terminal illness, she loved her job as a teacher, taking walks in the neighborhood and cooking,” Annette says. “At her core, she enjoyed serving others.”
Annette’s early interest in helping others led her to study psychology and child learning at the University of Texas at Dallas so she could stay close during her mother’s illness. She later pursued clinical psychology at Sam Houston State University but found the emotional demands challenging: “I was too emotionally invested in the work,” she says.
After earning an MBA from Lamar University and working with the Dallas Regional Chamber, Annette noticed that legal professionals played important roles across various industries. This exposure inspired her to consider law school.
Her journey took another turn when she entered pageantry after following Averie Bishop—Miss Texas’s first Asian American winner—on social media. Inspired by Bishop’s workshops on scholarships and personal growth through pageants, Annette decided to compete herself. In 2023, she won Miss Southlake and then claimed the Miss Texas title in 2024.
“The Miss Texas crown is much bigger than me,” Annette says. “This crown is for every young child on the spectrum who felt alienated, abandoned, stereotyped or unseen because of their different abilities. This crown is for the young immigrant girls who were caregivers before they were students, friends or teammates.
“This crown is for those who dare to be different.”
Winning Miss Texas brought scholarship funds covering two years of law school tuition and raised her public profile significantly after actress Viola Davis shared a video of Annette’s crowning moment online.
At Texas Tech School of Law, Annette quickly became active: She was a finalist and top oralist in the 1L Negotiations competition, contributes to the Texas Bank Lawyer journal, and serves as events chair for the Sport and Entertainment Law Society.
“Texas Tech’s School of Law provides a wealth of opportunities for law students, especially first-year students,” she says. “I do not know of many law schools providing these kinds of opportunities for first-year students,” Annette adds. “This sets Texas Tech apart in a great way.”
Professor Dustin Benham notes Annette’s engagement: “My class has a lot of engagement and that’s an area in which Annette thrives.” He also credits her prior experiences with preparing her well: “At Texas Tech’s School of Law we admit students we believe will succeed…Annette is a great example. She has had to hone her communication skills, demonstrate grit and has collected several skills that serve her now in law school.”
While passionate about advocacy—especially relating to autism awareness—Annette plans to pursue sports and entertainment law rather than making advocacy work into a career: “Eventually I will be Andrew’s primary caretaker…I want to get a good job so I can financially support him,” she explains.
She recognizes how recent brand partnership offers have underscored the importance of legal guidance for athletes managing their image rights: “A lot of college athletes are getting brand deals but they don’t all have attorneys helping them.” Her goal is to ensure athletes understand their contracts fully.
“That’s why I love legal practice because you can help so many individuals,” Annette says.
For more information about programs at Texas Tech School of Law visit https://www.depts.ttu.edu/law/.
